Trail Blazers arrive in camp with new center

Tom Owens, a 6-11 journeyman from the American Basketball Association, takes over as the center of attention at the Trail Blazers' fall camp, where it is on him to replace Bill Walton after serving as Portland's backup big man for the 1977-78 season.

• Kathy Whitworth, already in the LPGA Hall of Fame, arrives at Columbia-Edgewater Country Club for this week's $100,000 National Team Championship, a 54-hole best-ball event. She'll partner with Donna Caponi Young, who won the 1976 Portland Classic.

Also on hand for a practice round is Nancy Lopez, 21, the new star on the circuit, who earlier won five tournaments in a row and has a $56,000 lead on the No. 2 season money-winner, JoAnne Carner, with a record of $162,117.83 in money.